This invention relates to a bath composition based on herbs and a foaming agent, in particular a composition including a reagent consisting of sodium bicarbonate and a weak acid such as citric acid which develops carbon dioxide when it comes into contact with water, combined with a surfactant such as lauryl sulphate, and mixed with a quantity of medicinal herbs.
When this composition is immersed in the bathwater, the reagent develops a considerable amount of carbon dioxide which, thanks to the surfactant also present in the composition, gives rise to the formation of foam.
At the same time, an infusion is obtained due to the presence of medicinal herbs, with the result that the active constituents of the herbs which are dispersed in the water are readily absorbed by the skin through the pores. The invention also relates to packaging in which a quantity of reagent and medicinal herbs is introduced into a bag made, for example, of non-woven fabric.
This solution means that the carbon dioxide developed by the reagent in contact with the water is dispersed in the liquid through the openings in the fabric, giving rise to the formation of small bubbles and therefore producing a very fine, lasting foam.
The herbs absorb water and swell, completely filling the bag, which thus turns into a kind of sponge which can be used to rub and massage the skin.
This solution produces a synergic effect between the medicinal herbs and the composition containing the reagent and the surfactant because the foam, possibly aided by a massage with the packaging containing the herbs, aids dilation of the pores and therefore increases absorption of the active constituents of the infusion of medicinal herb, producing a more efficacious effect.
The use of a composition containing a reagent able to develop a gas, in particular carbon dioxide, when it comes into contact with water, combined with a surfactant, is already known.
These compositions are used in the form of granules or spheres which are immersed in the bathwater to form foam, with no need to agitate the water in which the soap or surfactant is dissolved.
However, this system gives rise to the formation of foam with quite large bubbles, which are consequently less stable and lasting.
The use of medicinal herbs to prepare infusions to drink for curative purposes, or to prepare cosmetic compresses and the like for application to the face or skin, is already known.
However, the use of these herbs in cosmetics is limited to this type of application.
The present invention falls into this sector, as it relates to a bath composition comprising a quantity of reagents able to develop carbon dioxide on contact with water, combined with a surfactant designed to cause the formation of foam, and a quantity of dried medicinal herbs which form an infusion in the bathwater containing the active ingredients of the said herbs.
The combination of these two constituents causes a synergic effect, as the cleansing effect of the surfactant and the foam on the skin aids cleansing and dilation of the pores, which consequently absorb the active constituents dispersed in the infusion by the herbs better, and in larger quantities.
In accordance with an advantageous aspect of the invention, these constituents (reagents, surfactant and herbs) are placed inside a bag made of non-woven fabric which aids dispersion of the gas into small bubbles, resulting in the formation of a finer and longer-lasting foam.
Basically, old and new technologies for the manufacture of bath products are combined in the composition in accordance with the invention.
This invention will now be described in detail by reference to the examples illustrated below.